Keep Space Station Civilian

December 27, 1986

The Pentagon's sudden infatuation with the space station raises a red flag for the civilian space program.

A military claim on the station would direct U.S. space policy along narrow lines, especially if Star Wars -- a space-based defense system -- were allowed aboard, as some Defense Department officials hope.

Yes, the military has an important mission in space. Pentagon satellites help defend this nation, and they reveal enemies' capabilities. But where military and civilian goals overlap -- as in the shuttle program -- the brass's hand weighs too heavily on the outcome.

After the Challenger accident, the Pentagon tried to claim all shuttle flights. Even when a fourth shuttle comes on line, most cargoes still will belong to the military. This limits the amount of scientific experiments NASA can conduct.

In truth, the Pentagon's sudden ardor is curious. In hearings before Congress, Defense Department witnesses consistently disavowed interest in the space station.

But Star Wars has changed all that. True, the Pentagon is talking just about research -- for now. That sounds innocent enough because NASA and the military often share findings to avoid duplication. But a military toehold on the space station easily could lead to testing and development of Star Wars. That's likely because key figures in the Defense Department would be inclined to control the space station, as they do the shuttle.

Bringing Star Wars aboard would jeopardize the space station's purpose. The craft has been promoted as peaceful: serving as a science laboratory and a platform for repairing and launching space vehicles. Testing weapons for Star Wars would be fundamentally inconsistent with this goal.

Finally, the space station is more than an American endeavor. European countries, Canada and Japan plan to invest about $3 billion worth of their technology. But these nations have agreed to help because of assurances from NASA and the State Department that played down the military's role. A change in mission could lead America's partners to pull out of the project.

Without their support, the space station would become a much larger expense for the United States -- if it still could be built. Already, rising costs have threatened to delay or end the project.

Still, no space station would be preferable to one that confused peaceful pursuit of knowledge with purposes of war.